BABY OPOSSUM(S)
Staying with their biological parent is their best chance of survival.
1. OBSERVE
Where did you find the baby?
Baby opossums are born as embryos, barely larger than a bee. They crawl up to their mother’s pouch where they attach to a nipple and spend about two months drinking her milk and growing to be the size of a mouse. The mother has 13 nipples, so up to that many babies can survive in her pouch. At two months of age, they begin to ride on mom’s back and can sometimes fall off without her noticing.
Is the baby too young to be alone?
If their body length is longer than 7 inches (not including the tail), then they’re big enough to survive on their own (no help needed unless injured).
2. REUNITE
Is the baby orphaned?
Generally, opossum babies can be found either in their mom’s pouch (younger babies) or riding around on her back (older babies).
Opossums are nomadic and if one baby falls off, the mother opossum is not likely to notice or to come back. Only in rare instances when the mother opossum has temporarily “parked” her babies (in a shed or burrow), and it is known for certain that they are from the same litter, can a baby be reunited with the mother and siblings.
Will they adopt non-siblings?
Do not take chances, because baby possums will attack an unrelated baby! If the baby cannot be reunited with mom and is less than 7 inches long without the tail, the baby will require help from a wildlife rehabilitator. If the baby’s body length is longer than 7 inches (not including the tail), then the baby is big enough to survive on his/her own.
3. CALL
Call for help if:
If mom is nowhere around and the baby opossum(s) is/are less than 7 inches long (not including the tail), they are too young to be on their own. Call a wildlife rehabilitator for assistance.
Even if the mom is fine, but the baby is injured, the baby will require assistance from a wildlife rehabilitator.
If the mom is sick or injured, but the babies are fine, she with her babies will require assistance from a wildlife rehabilitator.